all tied up…

A short note to let you know how things are going. All of my local links seem to check out. Some of the external links appear to be dead. I am not certain whether this is due to problems on my computer (I haven’t been using it or the Internet for months) … problems on the servers … or problems in the void. Some of the links are to large popular knot sites, and it would be a major surprise and disappointment if they are closed down.

I am now moderating the comments from the past months … then on to the E-Mail. I will sneak in a post or two as I go along.

I am going slower than I would prefer, because I do not want to overextend myself and suffer another knockdown.

My apologies to all for the long break in mybloging activity. Last February I took two falls… these, together with my ongoing illness, laid melow. I haven’t even been cruising the Net, letalone bloging.
I do intend to resume my bloging, but getting it upto full speed will take some time. Bear with me andI will try to make it worth your while.
For the requested longer version (possibly moreentertaining but not holding much more basicinformation) click the “More” link.

What happens when William decides to tangle with Old Man Winter’s snow and ice? William plays Humpty Dumpty and takes not one, but two, great falls. Concrete is very hard, no matter what’s on top of it, and when William falls, everything notices.

That’s why you haven’t heard from him in a few months, but be of good cheer. He has recovered sufficiently to return to the Gods of Knots, but with a couple of interesting twists, necessitated by his injuries.

I was looking through some older pictures of my knotwork. These were taken with an older, less capable camera than the one I have now. My skills with the picture box were slighter, as well. To top it all off, these shots were taken as a reference tool for my use, never to be published. Now, faults and all, they are going to be seen around the world. This is in keeping with my plan to show those things which are less than perfect so I could profit by the instruction of others — and because this tuition would be via Internet, others could profit as well.

I started putting the knots on this cane in 1998. I added them one, or one set, as I got the time, materials, and became physically capable of doing it. The last of the knots were added in 2000. I realized that they were being asked to perform beyond their design limits — hell, beyond all reason and hope. Just before I slew them all with a sharp-edged instrument, I took these shots so I would know what was, and where it was. Many of these knots had 9 or 10 years of active service. The stains from using the stick to push aside obstacles I didn’t mind. It was when they started to fray and unravel I saw it was time to give them one last chance to participate in the high equinoctial ceremonies to “The Gods Of Ropes And Knots”. After that they were called to the front of the company, all hands being present. They were cited by name, rank, and occupational specialty. They were then paid off in full and given pre-paid passage to Fiddler’s Green — quarters there having already been arranged.

All the past now having been given its due, we start on today. The pictures are less than I would have preferred, but the subjects are gone beyond recall. I hadn’t planned to have a BLOG … so I surely hadn’t planned to use them on it. But many things have reminded me of late that it would be unfair not to give them the best I can. And so I call my friends to come and stand review one last time. I shall select the best shots of each, and tell their story in the best light. Be kind to them, but not so kind as to lie. If you see a true fault — sing out, so all may benefit. After we have climbed the stick knot by knot, there will be an overall shot to draw it all together.

The knots used on this Walking Stick friend of mine were, starting at the left/bottom end of the cane:

The knot on the far left is a Spanish Ring knot of 2 passes. I now know the method which should be used to count the Leads and Bights on this knot. Unfortunately there is no way by which I can honestly do this. The picture is too fuzzy, so we miss on this one.

I can not tell by count the true nature of this knot, backed up by data. I can say that between my memory and the picture I believe it to be a Turk’s Head of 5 Leads X 4 Bights, tripled in paracord. Each pass got its own color; two of the green and the center one in black.

The first two mates are gone on to Fiddler’s Green, but not forgotten. They have now been seen, in effigy, by more people than ever saw them live …. Memento Mori.

Thank you for coming by my site. Come back tomorrow for the next memorial for those knots next highest on the stick:

Not to leave out anyone — best wishes to you and yours no matter how, or if, you celebrate at this time of year. Good wishes have never been a negative thing in my way of thinking. Karma is as karma does.

Celebrate with those you care about. You should always let them know you care. One of the most common things heard at memorial services around the world — regrets for things left unsaid, or things said in heat or haste and not set right before it was too late. While you are all at the festivities, let them know how you feel.

Thank you for past visits to my site, as well as this one. No knot with this post; it stands on its own virtues. Come back again; the parade of knots will continue

My Lady Rose makes allowances for my predilection for tying knots on anything that can’t outrun me and doesn’t bite me first. Over time she has seen the utility in some of the things I do. Lanyards, fobs, and leashes are some of the things she has grown to appreciate having on her own things. Its a fair trade deal: I tie them, and she cuts me slack on some of the other things I want to adorn with knots. I do suspect she averages in a testosterone fudge factor, but however she arrives at it, we have a deal.

All of the statements I have made in various posts dealing with lanyards and their kin also apply here. I seem to have a mental preset for what constitutes a proper size fob for scissors. I have made 4 or 5 of them, all without preplaning, or measuring — they are all within an ace of being the same length and look much alike.

The knots on this one are, from the attachment point:

I cut 4 strands of paracord in a neon green. I then made a short section of 4 strand braid and folded it across the handle. Next I seized the strands with a constrictor knot.

I plaited a 3″ section of 8 strand square sinnet next. At the outboard end of the sinnet, I tied another constrictor knot to act as a seizing.

I then fed 2 of the strands through the center of a wooden bead. I worked a short section of 6 strand crown sinnet over the bead. Then I seized all 8 strands close below the bead with another constrictor knot.

To help add bulk to the head of the tassel I put on a whipping, about 1 1/2″ long.

Finally, I returned to the handle end, and dressed the transition points with Turk’s Head knots.

The Turk’s Head just below the handle is one of my standards. It has 5 Leads X 4 Bights — this knot closes up nicely on small-diameter rounds.

The knot just above the bead is a 3 Lead X 8 Bight Turk’s Head.

The knot just below the bead is a Pineapple knot that counts out to 10 Leads X 8 Bights in its finished form.

I trimmed the ends of all 8 strands to give a rough, but very robust, tassel. Having a tassel on the end greatly increases the odds of seeing it even on a very crowded desk. After a day of shuffling papers it seems there are always a couple of strands of the tassel in easy view — even if the scissors have crawled off and tried to hide by burrowing under something.

Thank you for coming by my site. Sing out if you see any way I can improve either my site, or my knots. I always appreciate any thoughtful comments — and you don’t need to be a knot tyer to comment. Your thoughts on the looks of things are as important to me as your thoughts on the structure of the knots. After all, most of the people who end up with the knots that leave home don’t tie knots — they judge only on looks or usefulness. That is as it should be; it would be unfair to expect people to comment outside their area of knowledge. Come back again. If you see me in the parade, wave; it makes me feel better to know someone is watching:
William

This is a prototype for a window breaker made out of a self-acting center punch. There are two other similar tools on my site — one behind this link, and the other hiding here. The self-acting part means you don’t need a hammer to make it work — when you push the point against something hard, an internal spring and weight mechanism fires. It hits hard enough to mark hardened steel, or punch a hole through a bottle without shattering it. When you use it on tempered safety glass, it shatters into small pieces — just as the safety elves designed it.

A lady friend of My Lady Rose had some special requests for her window breaker. First she wanted to see the brass peaking out through the knots. Secondly, having weaker hands, she wanted a large knot on the butt end to push against. Thirdly, she wanted a smaller diameter knot on the shaft near the point so she could hold / aim it more easily. This is the test grip I made for her — it passed the test. I then made the grip on another punch I had, while leaving the knots on this one for reference. The job was done — then I recently found the original hiding among my other knotting things. I can only assume it did not want to be stripped of its knots and redone. You know how independent-minded tools can be.

The knots on this one are:

Starting at the point. A 2 Bight Turk’s Head knot, doubled, which runs the full length of the shaft. It was tied so that you can see the brass through the lattice of the knot.

The butt end was bulked out with a 5 Lead X 3 Bight Turk’s head, tripled. It is now visible only if you look at the tool end on.

The Turk’s Head which forms the large end of the grip is a 9 Lead X 5 Bight knot, tripled, in an off-green paracord.

One of these days I will need another window breaker / center punch to give away. Until then I will let this one keep its knots. I might tie a lanyard on it and fasten it to something solid to prevent it from running off to hide again.

Thank you for coming by my site. I hope you enjoyed it. I do appreciate any visits / comments that I get. Come back again to view the parade of knots:
William